Effect of Physical and Social Components of Enriched Environment on Astrocytes Proliferation in Rats After Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Abstract

Treatment of enriched environment (EE) exerts neuroprotective effect in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, how the component of EE contributes to the functional recovery after brain ischemia remains unclear. Here we examined the effect of physical and social components of EE on poststroke astrocytes proliferation using an animal model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion. Rats were divided into five groups: physical enrichment group (PE), social enrichment group (SE), physical and social enrichment group (PSE), ischemia + standard group (IS) and sham-operated + standard group (SS). In a set of behavioral tests, we demonstrated that animals in the enriched groups exhibited improved functional outcomes compared with those in standard group. Reduced infarct volume was only observed in PSE and PE groups. Double immunofluorescent labeling and western blot analysis revealed that rats in PSE and PE groups showed significantly more proliferated astrocytes and higher expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the periinfarct cortex, compared with those in SE group. Astrocytes proliferation and BDNF expression were significantly correlated with functional outcomes. Collectively, this study suggests that physical activity is a more important component of EE regarding the effect on astrocytes proliferation and BDNF expression, which may contribute to the improved neurological function of stroke animals.

Environmental enrichment and exercise are better than social enrichment to reduce memory deficits in amyloid beta neurotoxicity

“…However, how many of these effects observed in response to EE protocols rely on EE per se and how many result from physical exercise and increase of social interaction (i.e., SE) was not determined. When the effects of physical exercise and social interaction components of an EE protocol were investigated after brain ischemia/reperfusion, physical exercise and SE reduced the brain lesion (i.e., infarct volume) and increased astrocyte proliferation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression (57). It suggests that the physical activity component of EE might be the most important factor concerning positive results on functional, biochemical, and histological outcomes.…”

The effect of different frequencies of electroacupuncture on BDNF and NGF expression in the hippocampal CA3 area of the ischemic hemisphere in cerebral ischemic rats

“…Rat models of right MCAO were established using the suture occlusion method according to established methods of the middle cerebral artery ischemia model developed by Longa et al and Chen et al 13 , 14 With room temperature maintained at 20°C–30°C, the rats were immobilized on the operating table under intraperitoneal anesthesia (1% pentobarbital sodium, 30–40 mg/kg). Following sterilization, the right common carotid artery, internal carotid artery, external carotid artery, and pterygopalatine artery were carefully isolated through a median neck incision.…”

Environmental Enrichment Upregulates Striatal Synaptic Vesicle-Associated Proteins and Improves Motor Function

“…Connexin-30 is elevated after EE ( 15 ) and positively regulated by neural activity ( 64 ). Previous studies have also found that physical and social components of EE treatment enhanced astrocyte proliferation and increased the expression of BDNF, which might contribute to improved neurological outcomes in stroke animals, and physical activity plays a more important role in EE treatment after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury ( 65 , 66 ).…”